31 August 2012, Sweetcrude, LAGOS – SUSPECTED vandal on Thursday burst the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, pipeline in Arepo village in Ogun State, causing fire to erupt on the pipeline.
Officials of the Fire Service and National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, battled to put out a fire, which occurred as the vandals tried to siphon petroleum products from the pipeline.
Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, the South West Zonal Public Relations Officer of NEMA, said that more resources and equipment were being mobilised by a combined team of the agency as well as Federal and Ogun State Fire Service.
He said that some dead bodies were sighted at the scene but the actual figure could not be confirmed.
Meanwhile, Mr Kareem Olanrewaju, the Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps in Ogun, said that the NNPC had been contacted at Mosinmi Depot.
“It is not the first time that pipeline will explode in that area. It is difficult to provide security in the place because it is a swampy area.
“The pipeline pass through the swamp thus making it difficult for rescue team to put out the fire,’’ he said.
